Computer Controlled And Monitored Medical Storage System

ABSTRACT

A system is disclosed for monitoring and controlling a refrigerated medical storage unit. The system may include a control station. The control station may receive temperature information from the refrigerated medical storage unit and may cause at least a portion of the temperature information to be stored. The control station may determine whether the temperature is outside a predefined range and may causes an alarm to be generated when the temperature is outside the predefined range. The control station may receive user authentication information from a user, and upon verification of the user authentication information, send unlock instructions to the refrigerated medical storage unit.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/312,374, filed Dec. 6, 2011, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,773,374, andentitled “Computer Controlled and Monitored Medical Storage System,”which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/420,262, filed Dec. 6, 2010, entitled “MedicationDispensing Cart.” The entire disclosures of the above applications arehereby incorporated by reference, for all purposes, as if fully setforth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Temperature sensitive medications and supplies are common in today'shealthcare environment. To maintain stability and potency, medicationsand other supplies may require proper storage based on guidelines setforth by the manufacturers of the medications and supplies, as well asthe United States Pharmacopeia, the official public standards-settingauthority in this field. For example, some injections and medicationssuch as insulin, Lorazepam, and Epogen must be stored at a temperatureof approximately 36° to 46° F. (2° to 8° C.) to maintain theirviability. Additionally, many of these temperature sensitive medicinesare controlled substances and necessitate stringent access and inventorycontrols.

Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these andother issues surrounding the storage of medication and other medicalsupplies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a system for monitoring and controlling arefrigerated medical storage unit is provided. The system may include acontrol station. The control station may receive temperature informationfrom the refrigerated medical storage unit and may cause at least aportion of the temperature information to be stored. The control stationmay determine whether the temperature is outside a predefined range andmay causes an alarm to be generated when the temperature is outside thepredefined range. The control station may receive user authenticationinformation from a user, and upon verification of the userauthentication information, send unlock instructions to the refrigeratedmedical storage unit.

In another embodiment, a method for monitoring and controlling anenvironmentally controlled medical storage unit is provided. The methodmay include receiving temperature information from the environmentallycontrolled medical storage unit. The method may also include causing atleast a portion of the temperature information to be stored. The methodmay further include determining whether the temperature is outside apredefined range. The method may moreover include causing an alarm to begenerated when the temperature is outside the predefined range. Themethod may furthermore include receiving user authentication informationfrom a user. The method may additionally include verifying the userauthentication information. The method may also include, in response tosuccessfully verifying the user authentication information, causing theenvironmentally controlled medical storage unit to be unlocked.

In another embodiment, a system for monitoring and controlling a medicalstorage unit is provided. The control station may be remote from themedical storage unit. The control station may receive userauthentication information from a user and, upon verification of theuser authentication information, sends unlock instructions to themedical storage unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in conjunction with the appendedfigures:

FIG. 1 is a structure diagram of a system of the invention forcontrolling and monitoring access and/or environmental parameters ofmedical storage units;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of the invention for controllingand monitoring access and/or environmental parameters of medical storageunits; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system capable ofbeing used in at least some portion of the apparatuses or systems of thepresent invention, or implementing at least some portion of the methodsof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is notintended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of thedisclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodimentswill provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description forimplementing one or more exemplary embodiments. It will be understoodthat various changes may be made in the function and arrangement ofelements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims. Merely by way of example, anyembodiment described herein may or may not have any of the featuresdiscussed therewith, and may or may not have any feature discussed withrespect to other embodiments.

Specific details are given in the following description to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments maybe practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits,systems, networks, processes, and other elements in the invention may beshown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure theembodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-knowncircuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shownwithout unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as aprocess which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flowdiagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchartmay describe the operations as a sequential process, many of theoperations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition,the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process may beterminated when its operations are completed, but could have additionalsteps not discussed or included in a figure. Furthermore, not alloperations in any particularly described process may occur in allembodiments. A process may correspond to a method, a function, aprocedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc.

The term “machine-readable medium” includes, but is not limited toportable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wirelesschannels and various other mediums capable of storing, containing orcarrying instruction(s) and/or data. A code segment ormachine-executable instructions may represent a procedure, a function, asubprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a softwarepackage, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures,or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another codesegment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information,data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments,parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via anysuitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing,network transmission, etc.

Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be implemented, at leastin part, either manually or automatically. Manual or automaticimplementations may be executed, or at least assisted, through the useof machines, hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode,hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. Whenimplemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the programcode or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in amachine readable medium. A processor(s) may perform the necessary tasks.

In one embodiment of the invention, a system for monitoring andcontrolling both an environmentally controlled medical storage unit anda non-environmentally controlled medical storage unit is provided.Examples of environmentally controlled medical storage units includemedical refrigerators and/or freezers (referred to as refrigeratorsand/or freezers herein). These refrigerators and/or freezers may includeintegrated built in locking mechanisms that are electronicallycontrollable to be in either a locked or unlocked stated. Other types ofrefrigerators and/or freezers may also be employed, including those withafter-market installed locking mechanisms, either on the exterior orinterior of the refrigerator/freezer. The storage unit may have a leftor right handed door or entry point.

The locking mechanisms are capable of limiting access to the storageunit via electronic control. Some examples of non-environmentallycontrolled storage units include lock boxes, cabinets (both over andunder counter), drawers, closets, and storage rooms. The entry points tothese storage units may have locking mechanisms as described above. Anyenvironmental control or monitoring system discussed herein is onlyapplicable to environmentally controlled storage unit embodiments suchas those having refrigerators and/or freezers.

The system may also include a control station communicatively coupledwith the storage unit. The communication link may have any hardwareand/or software necessary to facilitate communication between thecontrol station and the storage unit. In some embodiments the controlstation may be capable of receiving any information provided andtransmitted by the storage unit, and transmitting any instructioncapable of being performed by the storage unit discussed herein. Thecontrol station may be located either locally or remote to the storageunit. Either wired or wireless communication methods may be used toestablish the communication link. In some embodiments, the controlstation may be at least 50 feet from the storage unit.

In some embodiments the control station may control and monitor one ormore of three primary functions: access control, environmental control(usually temperature, but possibly humidity, pressure, and/or otherenvironmental parameters), and inventory control. In these embodiments,the storage unit will have any means necessary to acquire and transmitdata relevant to such controls to the control station. Likewise, thecontrol station will have any means necessary to receive such data andtransmit instructions relevant to such controls to the storage unit.

In some embodiments, the control station may receive temperatureinformation from the storage unit. The control station may determinewhether or not the temperature is outside a predefined range. Thecontrol station may, in response to this determination control thestorage unit's environmental control system, in the case of arefrigerator or freezer, the unit's refrigeration cycle, to maintain thetemperature. If the temperature of the storage unit falls outside thepredefined range, either above or below, the control station may causean alarm to be generated. The alarm may include visual and/or audibleindicators at the control station.

The control station may include a visual interface, such as a monitor ordisplay screen, possibly with a touch screen or other input device suchas a keyboard and mouse. The visual interface may provide an interactionpoint for the use to manipulate the control station, and by extension,the storage unit. For example, a user may be able to define thepredefined temperature range. In some embodiments, forrefrigerator/freezer storage units, this range may have a high and lowpoint definable between −6° and 37° F.

Temperature readings may be received by the control stationcontinuously, or at predefined intervals of time. Both the predefinedintervals of time, and the temperature range which defines when an alarmwill generate, may be defined by a user. The control station may causethe received temperature readings to be stored, either local to thecontrol station, or remotely, possibly at a data storage system whichstores information for a plurality of control stations, which in turnmay each control/monitor a plurality of storage units. A user may beable to define identification (or naming) of any particular storage unitor control station, either at a control station or at the data storagesystem.

Again, while the control station may receive temperature readingscontinuously or at certain intervals, the control station may cause suchreadings to be stored at yet another interval (or possiblycontinuously). This interval may also be defined by a user at thecontrol station. In some embodiments, the control station may only causetemperature information to be stored when the temperature of the storageunit is outside the predefined range (i.e., when the alarm isactivated). One example interval of time may be every 30 minutes. Inother embodiments, any time interval between one minute and 120 minutesmay be employed.

In some embodiments, when an alarm is generated, indicators may begenerated besides any visual and/or audible indicators generated at thecontrol station. This may, for example, occur via a visual or audibleindicator at the storage unit, or at the data storage system.Additionally, when an alarm is generated, a bulletin may be displayed orprinted at the control station and/or data storage system.

The bulletin may be displayed or printed at predefined intervals untilthe temperature is back within the predefined range. Again, theintervals at which the bulletin is displayed or printed may be definedby the user at the control station or data storage system. The bulletinmay include a plurality of fields including identification of thestorage unit, a date and time, the temperature of the storage unit whenthe alarm was generated and/or when the bulletin was displayed/printed.The bulletin may also include a field which allows a user to input/writewhat was done to resolve the alarm condition, and to affirm, possiblyvia signature, their responsibility for handling the bulletin.

In yet other embodiments, the control station may be able to causeaudible or visual alarms when the change of temperature over timeexceeds a certain predefined amount. The type of alarm expressed by thecontrol station or storage unit may differ from that expressed by theoutside-of-temperature-range alarm.

As previously discussed, the above method implemented by the storageunit, control station, and/or data storage system may also beimplemented to control/monitor other environmental parameters. Theseparameters may include, for example, humidity, pressure, etc. Any sensorfor monitoring temperature or other parameters in the storage unit, aswell as the locking mechanism of the storage unit, may be replaceable bythe user. Any such sensor may be either shared with the storage unit'sindependent environmental monitor/control system, or independentthereto.

The control station may also be configured to receive userauthentication information from a user, and upon verification of theuser authentication information, send unlock instructions to the lockingmechanism of the storage unit. The user authentication information mayinclude a user name and a password, pin number, or other string. In someembodiments, a pin number may specify both the user and their authorityto use the functions of the control station.

The storage unit may include a visual indicator which displays thecurrent locked or unlocked state of the storage unit. Merely by way ofexample a light emitting diode may be either activated or inactivatedwhen the unit is unlocked. This visual indicator may be tested by a uservia instructing the control station to change the visual state of thevisual indicator. In some embodiments, the lock mechanism itself mayalso be tested at the control station.

The control station may also be capable of receiving information from asensor or sensors on the storage unit which reflect the current positionof the door, or other entry point, of the storage unit. In someembodiments, the control station may cause an alarm to generate if itdetects that the door or other entry point of the storage unit remainsopen beyond a user predefined length of time. Similarly, the controlstation may also be capable of monitoring and controlling any lightsources inside the storage unit.

In some embodiments, the control station may receive information from auser identifying what medications and/or other items are stored withinthe storage unit. The control station may cause such information to bestored, along with a time stamp or other indicator which specifies whensuch stocking occurred. Thereafter, the control station may storetemperature over time data related to each medication and/or other itemsstored within the storage unit.

A user may be able to specify another acceptable temperature range foreach medication and/or other item stored within the storage unit. Thisacceptable temperature range may be different from that specified forthe storage unit as a whole. In some embodiments, the acceptabletemperature range for a particular medication and/or other item may benarrower than the predefined temperature range for the storage unit as awhole (i.e., the acceptable temperature range will be a subset orsub-range of the predefined temperature range for the storage unit).

Alarm data for alarms that occur while any particular medication and/orother item that is stored in the storage unit may also be stored foreach such particular medication and/or other item. Therefore, wheneveran alarm state occurs, information related to that alarm would be storedas particularly relating to medications and/or other items stored, suchthat a user or functions of the control station could reference suchoccurrences at a later date.

In some embodiments, a user may be able to specify to the controlstation that for any particular medication and/or item stored in thestorage unit, access shall be limited or prohibited to such medicationand/or item if an alarm has issued for the storage unit during the timethe particular medication and/or item was stored in the storage unit.

As an example, a user could specify that when a user entersauthentication information into the control station and requestswithdrawal of a certain medication and/or other item in a storage unit,a warning screen would be presented to the user indicating that at leastone alarm condition has issued during the medication/item's storage inthe storage unit. The user may be required to acknowledge receipt ofsuch warning before access is allowed. In another embodiment, access tosuch medications/items which have experienced an alarm condition duringtheir storage may be prohibited (and thus denial of deactivation of thelocking mechanism on the storage unit). This may be a conditionespecially specified for medications/items where temperature control ofthe medications/items is critical to their viability.

Whatever the type of warning/prohibition, a user may specify whichparticular conditions cause what particular actions by the controlstation when withdrawal of an alarm affected medication/item isrequested. For example, one or more limits on the amount of time amedication/item has spent outside of predefined ranges may be specifiedwhich in turn cause either a warning to be presented to a userrequesting withdrawal, or access to be prohibited. In another example,one or more limits on the extent of temperature variance outside thepredefined range may be specified which in turn cause either a warningto be presented to a user requesting withdrawal, or access to beprohibited. In yet another example, an algorithm which is a function oftime spent by the medication/item outside of the predefined range, alongwith the temperature of the medication/item over such time may bespecified which determines when a warning will be presented to a userrequesting withdrawal, and/or access will be totally prohibited.

In some embodiments the control station and storage unit are configuredsuch that if either the control station or the storage unit lose power,the locking mechanism of the storage unit will remain in a locked state.In other embodiments, the reverse will be true, and the storage unitwill unlock under loss of power conditions. In any of the aforementionedembodiments, manual procedures may be available to open the storageunit. For example, the storage unit may have manual override unlocks,possibly that depend on the use of one, two, or more differentkeys/locks. In many embodiments, the control station and/or the storageuntil will have a battery or other backup power source in case of mainpower failure.

In some embodiments, at least a portion of the user authenticationinformation received over time by the control station may be stored bythe control station, or by the data storage system. The control stationsand/or data storage system may also be able to conduct inventory controlprocesses (either automatically via storage unit internal sensors, orvia user input). This information may also be stored by the controlsystem of data storage system.

In some embodiments, a user may be able to generate visually displayedor printed reports at either one or both of a control station or thedata storage system. These reports may be available on-demand to a user,or may be set to be displayed/printed by the control station/datastorage system at user predefined intervals. The type of informationpresented in any report may be predefined by a user, and may include anyof the information discussed herein related to access control, inventorycontrol, and/or environmental control. Note that any temperature datamay be displayed/printed in either or both of degrees Celsius or degreesFahrenheit.

In some embodiments, any failure of any one part of the invention, be ita portion or the entirety of the storage unit, the control system,and/or the data storage system, shall not cause failure of any otherportion of the system. This may at least assist in ensuring security andviability of any items stored in the storage unit. For example, in manyembodiments, failure of the locking mechanism of a storage unit will notcause failure of the temperature control/monitoring in that storageunit. Likewise, failure of the temperature control/monitoring functionswill not cause failure of the locking mechanism.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a structure diagram of a system 100 of theinvention for controlling and monitoring access and/or environmentalparameters of medical storage units is shown. As discussed above, system100 may include at least one control station 110 which is incommunication with data storage system 120. Each control station 110 maybe in communication with, and controlling/monitoring, various storageunits 130.

Storage unit 130A may be a refrigerator with an integrated lockingmechanism. Storage unit 130B may be a refrigerator with a retrofittedafter-market locking mechanism. Storage unit 130C may be a freezer withan integrated locking mechanism. Storage unit 130D may be a closet,pantry or other secured room. Storage unit 130E may be above countercabinets, and storage unit 130F may be below counter cabinets.

As described above, should any storage unit 130 for which environmentalparameters are being monitored reach conditions which fall outsidepredefined ranges, control station 110 would cause an alarm to occur.Additionally, control station 110 may be able to monitor forunauthorized attempted access at each storage unit 130, and issue alarmsand/or store records related to such unauthorized attempted access.

Each storage unit may include a visual indicator 140 as discussed above.In this embodiment, each visual indicator 140 indicates that itsassociated storage unit is locked. To unlock a particulate storage unit130, a user would first input their authentication information atcontrol station 110. Upon verification of the authenticationinformation, the user would then be allowed to specify to controlstation 110 which storage unit they wish to access. Upon selection ofthe desired storage unit, control station 110 would cause storage unit130 to unlock, and visual indicator 140 at that storage unit wouldchange states to indicate the lock's unlocked status.

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method 200 of the invention forcontrolling and monitoring access and/or environmental parameters ofmedical storage units. At block 205, a user defines acceptableenvironmental parameters for a storage unit at a control station. Atblock 210, the storage unit monitors the environmental parameters of thestorage unit. At block 215, if the environmental parameters fall outsidethe acceptable range, an alarm is issued at block 220.

At block 225, a bulletin is issued by the control station. At block 230,after a predefined interval of time, it is checked to see if theenvironmental parameter has returned to the acceptable range. If not,the bulletin is reissued at block 225. If the environmental parameterhas returned to the acceptable range, the monitoring process continuesat block 210.

Simultaneously, method 200 also includes at block 235 awaiting an accessrequest by a user. At block 240 an access request with authenticationinformation is received from a user at a control station. At block 245,it is determined if the authentication information is valid. If not, atblock 250 an unauthorized access attempt flag is stored. If theauthentication information is valid, then at block 255 access is grantedand an unlock command is sent to the desired storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer system 300in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. Thisexample illustrates a computer system 300 such as may be used, in whole,in part, or with various modifications, to provide the functions of thecontrol station, the central data system, the storage unit, and/or othercomponents of the invention such as those discussed above.

For example, various functions of the control station may be controlledby the computer system 300, including, merely by way of example,receiving information from the user, visually or audibly notifying theuser, receiving information from the storage unit, controllingparticular components of the storage unit, etc.

The computer system 300 is shown comprising hardware elements that maybe electrically coupled via a bus 390. The hardware elements may includeone or more central processing units 310, one or more input devices 320(e.g., a mouse, a keyboard, etc.), and one or more output devices 330(e.g., a display device, a printer, etc.). The computer system 300 mayalso include one or more storage device 340. By way of example, storagedevice(s) 340 may be disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-statestorage device such as a random access memory (“RAM”) and/or a read-onlymemory (“ROM”), which can be programmable, flash-updateable and/or thelike.

The computer system 300 may additionally include a computer-readablestorage media reader 350, a communications system 360 (e.g., a modem, anetwork card (wireless or wired), an infra-red communication device,Bluetooth™ device, cellular communication device, etc.), and workingmemory 380, which may include RAM and ROM devices as described above. Insome embodiments, the computer system 300 may also include a processingacceleration unit 370, which can include a digital signal processor, aspecial-purpose processor and/or the like.

The computer-readable storage media reader 350 can further be connectedto a computer-readable storage medium, together (and, optionally, incombination with storage device(s) 340) comprehensively representingremote, local, fixed, and/or removable storage devices plus storagemedia for temporarily and/or more permanently containingcomputer-readable information. The communications system 360 may permitdata to be exchanged with a network, system, computer and/or othercomponent described above.

The computer system 300 may also comprise software elements, shown asbeing currently located within a working memory 380, including anoperating system 384 and/or other code 388. It should be appreciatedthat alternate embodiments of a computer system 300 may have numerousvariations from that described above. For example, customized hardwaremight also be used and/or particular elements might be implemented inhardware, software (including portable software, such as applets), orboth. Furthermore, connection to other computing devices such as networkinput/output and data acquisition devices may also occur.

Software of computer system 300 may include code 388 for implementingany or all of the function of the various elements of the architectureas described herein. For example, software, stored on and/or executed bya computer system such as system 300, can provide the functions of thecontrol station, the data storage system, the storage unit, and/or othercomponents of the invention such as those discussed above. Methodsimplementable by software on some of these components have beendiscussed above in more detail.

The invention has now been described in detail for the purposes ofclarity and understanding. However, it will be appreciated that certainchanges and modifications may be practiced within the scope of theappended claims.

1. A system comprising: a control station, wherein the control station:is located remotely from a refrigerated medical storage unit; receivestemperature information from the refrigerated medical storage unit,wherein the temperature information includes a temperature of therefrigerated medical storage unit; causes at least a portion of thetemperature information to be stored indicating the temperature of therefrigerated medical storage unit versus time; determines whether thetemperature is outside a predefined range; and causes an alarm to begenerated when the temperature is outside the predefined range.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the control station further: causes abulletin to be displayed or printed when the alarm is generated; andcauses the bulletin to be displayed or printed at predefined intervalsuntil the temperature is back within the predefined range.
 3. The systemof claim 1, wherein the control station further: causes a bulletin to bedisplayed or printed when the alarm is generated, wherein the bulletincomprises: an identification of the refrigerated medical storage unit; adate and time; a temperature; and an acknowledgement or signature lineor field for the user.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlstation further: receives information from the user specifying thepredefined range; and controls operation of the refrigerated medicalstorage unit to maintain the temperature inside the refrigerated medicalstorage unit within the predefined range.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein: the system further comprises the refrigerated medical storageunit, wherein the refrigerated medical storage unit comprises: areversible locking mechanism to secure a door of the refrigeratedmedical storage unit while in a closed position; a temperature sensor;and a visual indicator which changes from a first state to a secondstate when the refrigerated medical storage unit is unlocked; and thecontrol station further: receives instructions from the user to test thevisual indicator; and causes the visual indicator to change from thefirst state to the second state in response to the instructions to testthe visual indicator.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein causing at leasta portion of the temperature information to be stored comprises: storingtemperature versus time information only when the temperature is outsidethe predefined range.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlstation further: receives information identifying a particulartemperature range related to a particular medication or item; receivesinformation directing the control station to take a particular action inresponse to a withdrawal request for the particular medication or itemwhich has experienced storage outside the particular temperature rangeduring the particular medication or item's storage within therefrigerated medical storage unit.
 8. A system comprising: a controlstation, wherein the control station: receives temperature informationfrom a medical storage unit, wherein the temperature informationincludes a temperature of the medical storage unit; causes at least aportion of the temperature information to be stored indicating thetemperature of the medical storage unit versus time; determine, from thestored temperature information, whether a change in the temperature overtime exceeds a predefined rate; and cause an alarm to be generated whenthe change in the temperature over time exceeds the predefined rate. 9.The system of claim 8, wherein the control station further: causes abulletin to be displayed or printed when the alarm is generated; andcauses the bulletin to be displayed or printed at predefined intervalsuntil the temperature is back within the predefined range.
 10. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein the control station further: causes abulletin to be displayed or printed when the alarm is generated, whereinthe bulletin comprises: an identification of the medical storage unit; adate and time; a temperature; and an acknowledgement or signature lineor field for the user.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controlstation further: receives information from the user specifying thepredefined rate; and controls operation of the medical storage unit tomaintain changes to the temperature inside the medical storage unitbelow the predefined rate.
 12. The system of claim 8, wherein: thesystem further comprises the medical storage unit, wherein the medicalstorage unit comprises: a reversible locking mechanism to secure a doorof the medical storage unit while in a closed position; a temperaturesensor; and a visual indicator which changes from a first state to asecond state when the medical storage unit is unlocked; and the controlstation further: receives instructions from the user to test the visualindicator; and causes the visual indicator to change from the firststate to the second state in response to the instructions to test thevisual indicator.
 13. The system of claim 8, wherein causing at least aportion of the temperature information to be stored comprises: storingtemperature versus time information only when the change in thetemperature over time exceeds the predefined rate.
 14. The system ofclaim 8, wherein the control station further: receives informationidentifying a particular temperature range related to a particularmedication or item; receives information directing the control stationto take a particular action in response to a withdrawal request for theparticular medication or item which has experienced storage outside theparticular temperature range during the particular medication or item'sstorage within the medical storage unit.
 15. A system comprising: acontrol station, wherein the control station: receives informationidentifying what items are stored in the medical storage unit; receivesinformation identifying what items are withdrawn from the medicalstorage unit; receives temperature information from the medical storageunit, wherein the temperature information includes a temperature of themedical storage unit; and causes at least a portion of the temperatureinformation to be stored indicating the temperature of each item in themedical storage unit versus time.
 16. The system of claim 15, whereinthe control station further: determines whether the temperature isoutside a predefined range; and causes an alarm to be generated when thetemperature is outside the predefined range.
 17. The system of claim 16,wherein the control station further: causes a bulletin to be displayedor printed when the alarm is generated; and causes the bulletin to bedisplayed or printed at predefined intervals until the temperature isback within the predefined range.
 18. The system of claim 16, whereinthe control station further: causes a bulletin to be displayed orprinted when the alarm is generated, wherein the bulletin comprises: anidentification of the medical storage unit; a date and time; atemperature; and an acknowledgement or signature line or field for theuser.
 19. The system of claim 15, wherein causing at least a portion ofthe temperature information to be stored comprises: storing temperatureversus time information only when the temperature is outside thepredefined range.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein the controlstation further: receives information identifying a particulartemperature range related to a particular medication or item; receivesinformation directing the control station to take a particular action inresponse to a withdrawal request for the particular medication or itemwhich has experienced storage outside the particular temperature rangeduring the particular medication or item's storage within the medicalstorage unit.